Speed limit signal or indicating device for speedometers for vehicles



Oct. 20, 1931. P. A. KOURTZMAN, 5

SPEED LIMIT SIGNAL OR INDICATING DEVICE FOR SPEEDOMETERS FOR VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 31, 1929 5sneets-shee 1 EIEIEHEEHEI Pr TTOBNETS Oct. 20, 1931.

P. KOURTZMAN SPEED LIMIT SIGNAL ORINDICATING DEVICE FOR SPEEDOMETERS FOR VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 31 .1929

I 5 Sheets-Sheet: 2

I n L n +0 r.- fir fins $135011 flur aman w a/hm,

Oct 20, 1931. p, A" KQURTZMAN 1,828,053 SPEED LIMIT SIGNAL OR INDICATING DEVICE: FOR SPEEDOMETERS FOR VEHICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Original Filed Jan. 31, 1929 HTTAR MEYS 0st. 20, 1931. P. A. KOURTZMAN HICLES SPEED LIMIT SIGNAL OR INDICATING DEVICE FOR SPEEDOMETER'S FOR VE Original Filed Jan. 31, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 .0 1. K ma/Lyman INVENTOR BY m ATTORN Y5 Oct. 20, 1931. P. A. KOURTZMAN 3 SPEED LIMIT SIGNAL O R INDIGAI ING DEVICE FOR SPEEDOMETERS FOR VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 51; 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hi1 i ig; H. v

BY his ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1931 tszatsg 1 ran n vnnasso ufkounrznen; or vAnrAn; SWEDEN SEE-E1) nimrsieiwil, on mnrolxrine neuron F03. sPEnDo /rE'rnRs ronivnnicnns Original application filed January 31, 1929, Serial no. 336,364, andinisweden' February a, 192 ,-f Divided and. this applicationfiled April 1, 1930; Serial m; 440,829.

The present" invention relates to speed limit signalor indicatlng devlces for speedometers for' vehicles, inwhich adoubleI-armed lever I ing proport onally to the distance'covered is journalled, one arm of which is operated by a centrifugal device, while its other arm v is provided With-a signal membenwhich 'is moved to;a signalling position, 'when'the vehicle exceeds the speed limit. ,Thecharsacteristics of the invention resides in the fact,

that the double-armed lever 'isslidable on its pivot or bearing pin from its'normal po- 'sition against the action of aspring and that the arm forming the-signal member is" provided with-a ftooth,'which when the vehi-p cle'exce'eds the speed limitengages a screw, which participates in the rotation of one of the figure wheels indicating the shortest distances in ajcounting mechanism, so that N the lever slides on'its'pin andkee'ps themem I520 ber in -a signallingposition as longas the speed limit is exceeded for" a certain dista ilce. v

This'application is a division ofapplicantls co-pendingapplication, Serial 01336364,

l In he accompanying-drawings isfshown only by we of example the presentinven tionappli'e toa" speedometer which has a diagram cylinder with an adjustable diagram v an cord, a clockwork and a counting mechanism.

Fig. l shows the apparatus in elevation; Fig.

2 1 shows in elevation the diagram cylinder with the diagram cord, ail-adjustment de- 'vice'for the latter, the counting mechanism and the signalling '01 indicating device; Fig. 3 shows. the'adjustment device, the signal member, Lthe clockwork and the counting mechanism seen from above. Figft shows 46 a detail. Fig. 5 is a vertical central section of the apparatus; Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of a spring drum forming partof the Y apparatus; Fig...7- is'an edge view of'said diu m and-its bracket; Fig, 8 is a sectional I View of the upper portionof'the apparatus,-

showing in side; view a double-arm lever and associated mechanismyFig. .9 is a'view taken atright anglesto 81;.FigQ10 is ajpla nview of theimechanism shown in Figs.

7 8 .a'ndB; and Fig -112E711 perspectivelview the'band but permits it to run freely-through of a 'lever-supportingi bracket forming a part of the invention. I Between the diagramcylinder '1 rotatby the vehicle and a' fixed, transparent wall 13 there is slightly pressed a diagram cord 12 participating in the'rotationo f the cylinder. At one of the-vertical edges of'the' wall13, which surrounds only apart of the v diagram cylinders circumference, there is a band 15 movable 111 avertical direction close to the diagram cylinder. To this. band 15 V 'is fastened a piece bf a tube 16, which carries along. the cord 12 in the vertical motion of thesame, ,When the apparatus is in opera-v tion the tube 161 moveswith the band 15 1p f ordown according to the various speeds of the vehicle; and carries along with itkthe" cord 12 participatin diagram cylinder: in this process the'cord a 1'2 willshow a'speed'diagramoflby wayofr oin the rotation of the 6:

example, the form visible in Fig. 1. The

band'15 is attached at its--5upper endtoa endto the inner peripheryrof'the drum 30 and at its innerendto a roller 34: loosely m unted on the stud 32' at the center; ofthe drum. A nut .35 is provided 'in engagement with' the stud 32 for tightening the roller 34 against the bracket 31 wherebythe tension of the spring'may be adjusted; The drum 17 carries a pair of pulleys or sprockets1'8 to which are attached cables 19, said cables 7 passing from the pulleys 18 over pulleys '20 journaled in fixed bearings, thencearound pulleys 21, the ends; of the cables being se cured to 'a fixed bracket.22. The. pulleys '21 arejournaled in a sleeve 23, which is slid.- ableon a shaft 24 journaledin concentric relationwithfthe shaft 9 which impart-s motionfto the cylinder by means of suitable gearing, all of which is fully described in my said copending applicationfl Motion is imparted to the shaft'24 from 'the'sha'ft' 9 by suitableigearing 36; -A secondsleev'e'25j is mounted for sliding movement ion the we I 'shaft 24 for rotation with said shaft. The

sleeve 25 forms part of a centrifugal device, which comprises toggle levers 27 pivoted re spectively to'the sleeve 25 and a sleeve 28 encircling the lower end of the shaft 24, said latter sleeve being mounted for rotation on ball bearings carried by the fixeddisk-fi disposed below the cylinder. The sleeves 23 and 25 are also preferably providedwith ball bearings, asshown in Fig, 5. A spiral spring 29 is disposedon the shaft 24between the sleeves 25 and28i' The toggles 27 car.- .ried by the sleeves25 and 28 respectively are pivotally connected'togetherwat the center of a weight 26.

. The countlng mechanism 46contains, as usual, several figure wheels 80, 805, 80 etc 7 The figure wheel 80 makes for instance one 7 One of the arms of-a double-armed lever 37 39 journalled to a pin 38 supports the signal member 40. A projection41 on the drum 17,.onexceeding the speed :limit, forces the other arm 39 of this lever downwards, sothat thearm 37 isjraised and the marking member 40-becomes visible in theopening 71 in Fig. l. 1 Jln this con'nectionatooth 42 on the arm 37 engagesa thick screw 43, which is-attached to -a 'rotaryshaft, 44 to which is attached a cog wheel 45, geared to one of-thefigure wheels,

for instance the wheel-80, marking the short- {estdistancesninthe counting mechanism 46. During the rotation of the shaft 44 the lever 37, 39 is inthis process,on account of the tooth "42'engaging the'screwa43, shifted on its pin 38 against theaction of a spring 47 towards the right in1Fig. 3, making the signal member visible as long as the speed limit is being exceeded. If themaximum speed lasts beyond a certain distance, the tooth 42 r is moved across to a narrower screw 48 on arotary shaft 49, on which is located a cog wheel 50, which is geared to one of the figure wheels, for instance the wheel'80" indicating a longer distance in the counting mechanism46, after which the signal 'memberis kept me. visible position for a certain distance, inasmuch as the lever is supported by a friction surface hereinafter describedof the same length as the screw 48" so that its tooth 42 is kept inengagement with said screw. After the vehicle has covered 'this distance the marking memher is released and reiurns through the action of the spring 47 to its initial position.

Through'the arm 39 being articulated and being actuated a spring 51am outerend of 1110311. glVB ;Way 1n the case of excessive speed, and obviate damage tothe mechanism.

Supported in the frame'of the counting i mechanism is a bar or red 72 in underlying relation to the lever 37 and at right angles thereto, said rod being bent first upward as indicated at 72*, Fig. 11, and then in a direction transversely of the rod as indicated at 7 2*. At the end of the bent portion 7 2 the rod carries anintegral plate 7 3 disposed in a vertical plane and providedrwithaflug 74 projecting from one side thereof. The top surface 7 5 of said lug forms the friction surface hereinbefore referred to. is provided with an upstanding portion 76, hook-shaped at itsuppe'r end, as indicated at 77, Fig.8, said hook-shaped end being adapted to rest onQthe top surface 75 of the lug' 74 when the lever tooth42 is in engagement with the screw 48. In its initial position, the lever arm 37 rests on the rod 72,"Witl1ltl1e-t00th 42 out ofengagement with the screw 43, which positionof the lever willpontinue as long as the vehicle is traveling at a speed withina p're determinedllimit, .As soon, however, asthe vehicle exceeds the speed limit, the shaft 24 will rotate at such speed that theweights26 will swing outward'and pull the sleeve 23 downward so that the latter by means of the cables 19*willrotate thedrum 17 toward the right in'TFig. 5 sufliciently too'depress the lever arm 39 by means oftheprojection 41, so that The lever 37 e the member'40; wiill=be visible through the willengage'the screw 43. As long as the speed 'ofthe-ve'hicle is suchfgas to causethe arm 39'torfemain fully depressed, the rotatingscrew43 will cause the level; 37, 39 to be shifted on its pin 38 against the actionof the spring 47. If the speeddecreases'helow the speed limit before the tooth has reached the narrower. screw :48, the weights will, swing inward and lift-the sleevel23 so that the 'thel everf37, 39 will be moved-on the pivot 38 to initial position underthe action of the spring 47 However, if the exceeding of the speed limit continues until the screw 43 has moved the tooth 42 into engagementwith the narrower screw 48 and the arm 7 37 into engagement with the friction surface hereinbe- 'foreI described, the lever 37,39 will be further shifted'toward the right on-thefpin 38 against the action of the spring 47, and the arm 37 moving upon said friction surface cannot descend until it reaches the end'ofsaidsurface, when the arm will drop fromsaid surface and be returned to its initial position by the spring 47. "It will thus'be'seenthat if the exceeding of the speed limit'last's but for a short distance (for instance if it is necessary,

to exceed the speed limit for avoiding a col"- lision or forpassing anothervehicle) the member 40 will be visible; only for" a. short time, but that if theexceeding of the speed 'lug, whereupon the arm 37 will drop by gravity on to the bar 7 2 and under the action of the spring 47 willbe returned to normal position, the lug 74c being bevelled at its underside to facilitate such return. Thus, if the top surface of the lug 74 is ofthe same length as the screw 48 the member 40 will be visible as long as the tooth of the lever is in engagement with said screw.

53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 are parts of the clockwork, which is operated by the shaft 24 of the centrifugal device. The counting mechanism 46 is operated by the diagram cylinder through the agency of a toothed ring 60, Fig. 5, inside the same engaging a cog-1 wheel 61, F ig.2, two cooperating bevelled Wheels 62and a cogwheel 63 cooperating with the cogwheel 45. In Figs; 1 and 5, the ref-- I I ere-nee characters 64 to 70 designate details which form no part of the invention. 7 v I The separate parts of the apparatus shown" may of course be varied in many ways, provided only the characteristics of the invention are retained. The apparatus can be,

used on many different kinds of vehicles,

e. g. motor cars, locomotives, etc.

What Icla1m 1s 1. In a speedometer for vehicles, a pivoted lever, a signalling device carried by said lever, means rotatable at a speed proportionate to the speed of travel of the vehicle and I adapted to actuate said lever to move said signalling device into signalling position when the'speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit, and means operative to re-. tain the signalling device in said position during travel of the vehicle over a predetermined distance after the lever-actuating means has become ineffective.

2. In a speedometer for vehicles, a pivoted lever, a signalling device carried by said lever, centrifugal means rotatable at a speed proportionate to the speed of travel of the vehicle and adapted to swing said lever on its pivot thereby to move said signalling device into signalling position when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit, and means independent of said centrifugal means v and operative to retain the signalling device] in said position during travel of the vehicle over a predetermined distance afterthe leveractuating means has become ineffective.

able at a speed proportionate to the speed of the vehicle and adapted to swing said lever on its pivot when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit thereby to disclose said signalling device, means for mov ing said lever axially of its pivot, and means for retaining said lever in its signal-disclosing position during travel of the vehicle over a predetermined distance after the leverswinging means has becomeineffective.

4. In a speedometer for vehicles, a pivoted lever adapted to move axially of its pivot, a

springfor retaining said lever in its normal position, a signalling device carried by the lever and normally out of sight, means rotat able at a speed proportionate tothe speed of the vehicle and adapted to swingsaid lever on its pivot when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit thereby to dis close said signalling device, apair of coaxially disposed screws geared for rotationat different speeds proportionate to the speed I of travel of the vehicle, means carried: by said lever and adapted to cooperate with said screws for moving saidlever axially of its pivot when in signal-disclosingposition, and means for retaining the lever in said position during travel of the vehicle over a predetermined distance after the lever-swinging means has become ineffective.

In testimony whereof I- have signed my I name to this specification.

3. In a speedometer for vehicles, a pivoted I lever adapted to move axially of its pivot, a

I spring for retaining said lever in its normal position, a signalling. device-carriedbyltlief 5, lever and 'normally'out ofsight, means rotat 'I PER ANDERSSON Ko RTzMA 

